I figured since you were all appropriately outraged about horse tripping and those that support it, we should take a look at buckaroos. To be honest, I grew up thinking that `buckaroo’ was just a stupid term for cowboy that city people might use. I certainly wouldn’t have considered calling anyone that unless I was wanting to offend them in some way. Kind of like calling somebody a `dude’ used to be a dead insult once upon a time. Well, it turns out I was both right and wrong. Buckaroo is a real term and is still alive and well in the Great Basin country of northern Nevada, southern Idaho, northeast California and southeast Oregon. A buckaroo is basically an Americanized version of Vaquero and they consider themselves to be horse and cattlemen. I still don’t think being called a `buckaroo’ is much of a compliment. I’m sure this entry will cause a certain amount of outrage, especially amongst the PSA crowd. There are many of them that think buckaroos are super cool and awesome. I mostly think that many buckaroos are just great big douchebags for the way they treat animals. At least the ones we’re going to talk about today are.

One of the first things that comes to mind with buckaroos is their look. They all have a very specific look for both themselves and their horses. Flat hats, chink chaps, A-fork saddles with post horns and bucking rolls. Many of them favor a lot of silver and adornment on their tack as well. Their finished horses usually wear spade bits and I’ve yet to see a buckaroo or picture of one where they weren’t using some fairly sharp rowelled spurs. They wear their gear and clothing like a uniform. Other than their choices of spurs and bits, I don’t really have much issue if they all want to dress like that. It sure makes it easier identify them and run the other way when you encounter one. I know many attach a certain `romance’ to the buckaroo lifestyle and look. We all know a bit or spur is only as harsh as the user, and these guys have some fancy looking bits and spurs. Although, I still cannot wrap my mind around why anybody would ever feel the need to put a spade bit in a horse’s mouth these days, I might have been ok with them had I not dug a little further and found what a large number of them consider entertainment.

It seems our little buckaroo buddies are a bit like their charro counterparts in what they consider entertainment. Of course, it comes at the expense of horses and of course they are all mostly slaughter advocates. It seems that buckaroos like to host ranch rodeos when they aren’t out ripping the mouth out of their horses or punching holes in their sides. Ranch rodeos aren’t exactly what you see when you go to the Calgary Stampede or the NFR. Sure, they have the usual events like team roping, calf roping, barrel racing, bull riding, bronc riding, etc. Depending on how you feel about those sports, nothing out of the ordinary for a rodeo. However, they also have an event called Big Loop Horse Roping and it is truly disgusting.

Big loop horse roping shares a lot in common with Mexican rodeo. Probably not so surprising considering that the buckaroos evolved out of the vaquero culture. Where big loop roping differs from horse tripping is there are two ropers on horses. It’s a bit like an extremely barbaric version of team roping. They do the horse the courtesy of throwing a neck loop on it and slowing it down before the second roper fore-foots it and jerks the legs out from under it. I suppose this is how they get away from calling it tripping. The end result for the horse isn’t a bunch different from tripping though. Check out these videos of big loop roping: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v7djtzbckE) The next video has some extremely graphic scenes and was shot at the Jordan Valley Rodeo this year. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmp8pkbU03I)The buckaroos call this `laying them down’ rather than tripping. That’s supposed to make us feel better about what they’re doing. Here are the words from a PSA who pretty much lives and breathes this stuff:

“For untouched horses like this, the *real* buckaroo’s do a neck rope, ride along with the horse a bit until it slows, then throw a front footer. It’s safer and lays the horse down easy. Plus these horses were 3 year old’s that were in their 2nd and 3rd year of roping … NOT easy ropers! LOL They won more than the ropers did. I know of ranches that do this with their young stock to brand and geld them all the time.”

– Are we clear on this? These horses are used for nothing but roping? Nice life they have. Also, that’s how they handle their `young stock anyhow’. I’m taking that to mean they hog tie them to geld them rather than do it the humane way.

“Trust me, the big loop ropers do this in real life and if you rope a back foot of an unhandled horse, you will likely kill it. Or break a leg. You have to use the appropriate type of rope as well. Most of the ones I know use soft hand made rawhide riata’s.“

– Go ahead and watch the videos I posted links for. Tell me that front-footing them is any better….It should be noted that this PSA actually eats horses from time to time.

Here’s an interesting quote I found on a message board from somebody that has first hand knowledge about Mexican rodeos and horses that get used for these sorts of events:

“When I used to go to the horse and tack auctions in S. Cali. I could easily spot all the busted and broken charro horses. When the horse meat trade was stopped and auction prices hit the dirt for good quality saddle horses, they were simply letting the really damaged ones loose in the hills to forage for theirselves. You can’t bury dead horses on your property in California. You’ll get a fine. You have to pay $80 bucks to have them hauled off to the rendering plant. Guess they can’t afford to constantly pay to have their dead animals hauled off since there are so many eh? A couple hour ride in the hills and you could usually spot one of the loosed charro horses – sometimes alive (barely) sometimes dead and partially eaten by coyotes.”

Interesting, no? Abandoned and abused horses being turned loose in the hills. I know this does happen because I have a good friend in California that is a rancher. He’s found these horses on his grazing lease and has had to put them down. The condition they are in is appalling. I’m sure Slaughterhouse Sue and D-bag will say this is exactly why we need slaughter back. Bringing back slaughter isn’t going to stop these assholes from doing this. In fact, if we give them that outlet, they’ll just do it more. Banning this practice everywhere and ENFORCING that law will fix this problem.

Notice the knee and ankle on this horse. She was found tethered to a tree in the wilderness in California….

So, how do they get away with this? Enter Slaughterhouse Sue and D-bag Duquette. They take credit for the Oregon Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources nixing Senate Bill 613 last February. Known as the `horse tripping’ bill, it would have outlawed roping horses by the front legs and tripping. Sadly, the bill became all wrapped up with other roping events and that is likely what killed it rather than anybody actually giving a single crap about Suey and D-bag had to say.

“”No rodeo event in Oregon condones, or conducts, horse tripping. Oregon has comprehensive laws in place to protect animals. This bill was totally unnecessary. It was nothing more than a first step by HSUS to ban all roping of all animals in our state. Horses are livestock, and if this bill had become law, it would have set the precedent for making it illegal to rope a cow. After all, they’re both livestock – what’s the difference between horses’ legs and cows’ legs?”

– That quote is from D-bag Duquette. Like their idol Crazyass Steve King, they will fight any proposed legislation that may protect animals from cruel and barbaric asstards. Considering he lives in Oregon, consorts with some of the people that do this type of thing, and the video footage is from THIS year, he’s just a big fat liar.

“The HSUS goal is to gradually pick away at owners’ rights to decide what is best for our horses and livestock, They hide their agenda behind pretty language about protecting animals. But we are finally starting to educate the public about what is behind the curtain. Oregonians are too smart to fall for the misleading HSUS rhetoric. Those of us who love horses, livestock and the Western lifestyle need to work together to preserve our heritage and the right to decide what is best for our animals.”

– naturally D-bag made this all about his mission against the HSUS. NOBODY that loves horses think this is cool to do and if this your way of life and heritage, you are an abusive shit. The reason we have to put laws in place is because people that do this type of thing have zero compassion or ability to know `what is best for our animals’. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised he says things like this considering he likes to host horse barbeques for his clients.

It is expected that Oregon lawmakers will be bringing this issue to the table in the next session and work towards a ban on this brutal `sport’. The PRCA has long outlawed it from their rodeos. Other than the underground charro circuit, it seems we have a small pockets of asstard hold-outs in the buckaroo community that need to find a better way of entertaining themselves. Keep checking in with the Animal Law Coalition for updates. (http://www.animallawcoalition.com/animal-cruelty/article/2042)

I grew up on a ranch and I do understand how ranch life works. I’ve participated in more brandings than I care to count. I can half-assed throw a loop if I’m pressed too. I come from a long line of horsemen, none of whom have ever been pro-slaughter. In fact, my great-grandfather could have been considered a buckaroo at least by the equipment he used, not by mentality. Don’t believe me? Meet Gramps…(pssst….his horse isn’t skinny either as NT would have you believe all the old-time ones were)

That picture was taken in the late 1800’s. He was actually a pretty well-known guy and is in many books. The bit and spurs are still in the family, but haven’t been used in my lifetime. They are probably too valuable to use for one thing, plus we don’t do things the old way anymore even though that particular bit does not have a cathedral port in it. That’s my point. My great-grandfather was a working cowboy if there ever was one. He was also a well-known horseman. Whatever it was he passed down through our family, it was to respect your animals, especially your horses. I sure don’t recall anybody ever throwing a rope at a horse, let alone tripping one. Before I was able to do so on my own, I saw countless horses started and never once did I see one thrown or laid down. I guess not all buckaroos would consider big loop roping part of their heritage. Times have changed and so has the way we handle our livestock. There is no reason to stress and traumatize any animal anymore. We have the means to be kinder. Here’s another `family’ picture of mine. My grandmother and her father engaging in something we don’t do anymore either. While I appreciate my heritage, I know that some things are better left in the past. Thankfully, most sane people do as well.

I’m going to see if I can stump most of you with our PSA poster child this week and pick somebody that maybe isn’t as into the Facebook drama as most PSAs. He is, however, one of the bigger pieces of crap out there. He supports slaughter and some other disgustingly cruel practices with horses. Thank you to one of our regulars here for putting this one on my radar. Since he’s so proud of himself, I’m sure he won’t mind the publicity. Are you ready?

I always like to start off by letting our PSA speak for themselves. That way you can formulate your own opinion and see if you can name that PSA on your own.

“My name is XXXX and I have been a Charro for over 20 years. During that time Charreada has been attacked as being cruel and barbaric by the animal rights industry. Specifically they denounce mangana, piales and cola. They call the first two horse tripping and the last steer tailing. With reference to the first two, they claim most of the horses used die or have to be put down. This is absolutely false. Yes on very very few occasions, horses are killed, just like they are sometimes killed in steeplechase, cross country, and even rodeo. Like all the events, involving livestock, there is a danger to both the human and animal precipitants, but that danger is minimum.”

– He may be right that most of the horses used for tripping don’t die in the actual arena, but they don’t exactly get up and walk away and live happy lives either. They are traumatized and often crippled. This PSA has posted numerous YouTube videos in defense of his beloved `culture’ but fails to mention where they get the horses for tripping or what becomes of them after. We’ll get to that shortly.

“The 4pm live broadcast Charreada on DeCharros.com had some fantastic competitors. Only two pial caught with one rope broken, but the first 9 mangana were caught in a row, with a total of 12 captures out of 18. Mangana is La Reyna de Los Suertes (The Queen of the Charreada events) . It is the catching of the front legs of a running mare and in traditional mangana, bringing it to the ground. That is what they do in Mexico. 9 states have made it illegal, in the United States. To do this the AR fanatics lied. They said most of the horses died. That is absolute nonsense. If you have been watching DeCharros, you will have seen that no horses seriously injured. Even though the AR fanatics know the facts, they still call mangana cruel and barbaric. Which means the people who do it must be cruel and barbaric. Do you think it is a coincidence that Arizona passed the anti-mangana law and then passed the anti-immigrant law. Some Charros think it is OK for states to stop horse roping. I don’t because of the implication. It implies that people I know are good and honorable are cruel and barbaric. That should never be tolerated.”

– There is nothing `honorable’ and `good’ about making entertainment out of terrorizing and abusing animals. Yes, anybody that engages in this activity is not only cruel and barbaric, they are also asstards. Since our PSA is such an avid spokesmen for his `culture’ he may just be King of the Asstards.

“The anti-slaughterhouse movement mystifies me. What do you do with horses that do not make the cut. They are lame or blind. They just are not good enough to work. What do you do with horses when there is not enough food to feed them. The slaughterhouse is a lot better way to die then starvation. You probably are using or own something that has a horse product in it. If you own house pets, you absolutely have used something made from horse. The French and most Asians consider horse meat a delicacy. Just another form of protein. The point of the video is that mangana or what you call horse tripping is no more dangerous to horses then most equine events and it is less dangerous to them then some, like Steeplechase and Cross Country. Therefore it should not be banned.”

– Our PSA has quite a few online IDs and has been fighting to have the ban lifted on his beloved horse tripping for years. Thankfully, my tentacles reach far and wide. Is anybody really surprised that a horse tripper would support slaughter and think it’s a much needed outlet? This particular PSA has a trail all across the net in support of horse tripping. You can look him up if you want, but I suggest you do so on an empty stomach.

Before we get to our big reveal, let’s talk a little bit about horse tripping. This PSA whines and cries that it is part of his `culture’ and has been done for over 400 years. Remember, this is the same culture that thinks bull fighting is pretty cool too. I’ve been to a Mexican bull-fight (don’t ask) and I can tell you that it was probably the most disgusting display of abuse I have ever seen. Horse tripping has been outlawed in several states because it is cruel and barbaric. I’ve heard stories of them getting horses cheap or free off Craigslist, auction houses, thoroughbreds off the track and being leased from kill buyers. Once the horses are used for tripping they are basically ruined for all else, if they even survive long at all. Slaughter is almost always the end game for these animals, except in the rare cases a rescue has stepped in. Even in states that have banned this practice, it still goes on. Because these events are not sanctioned, it is difficult to get any hard numbers but I did manage to dig up this from the American Horse Defense Fund:

“There are no hard statistics are available on the number of horses used in charro rodeos. Most of these rodeos are not sanctioned or take place at small arenas without oversight. A source at one Riverside, CA feedlot reported that during one season before horse tripping was banned the lot leased 25 horses per weekend to two different charro rodeos. Approximately 2 to 5 of these horses displayed injuries serious enough that the animals were sent to slaughter every week. For each animal that went to slaughter, another from the feedlot replaced it on the charro circuit. During the 1992 season, 75 to 100 horses were leased from that particular lot to the two charro rodeos, but only 2 of the original horses survived until the season’s end.” – (http://www.ahdf.org/tripping.htm)

Our PSA is also supports the UH and regularly advertises his horse tripping extravaganzas on their page. He has found a nest of like-minded assholes that also get their jollies by mistreating animals for entertainment and ego boosts. “I would like to thank Sue Willis, for her help in Col., Org. and Nev., as a memebr of one of the first groups targeted by the multi millon dollar Animal Rights Industry, we appriciate all the help.” Naturally, Slaughterhouse Sue endorses horse tripping ….”you must be from the Charro Federation — so glad to be working with you! Working together is the only way to ever succeed, I am absolutely convinced of that…..I need to be sure and add you to our list of supporters — consider it done.” Do you know what I’m absolutely convinced of? I’m absolutely convinced that our PSA is at least as big of a douchebag as any of the other UH regulars.

This PSA likes to talk about his `culture’ and tradition. He thinks people are being racist because they are disgusted by his acts of cruelty. I’ll let you in on a little secret. My distant ancestors used to run around and scalp people that pissed them off. They don’t do that anymore because it’s frowned upon and not very civilized. It’s all well and good to have culture and traditions, but part of evolution and progress means we can leave barbaric and cruel practices behind. There is no earthly reason to be tripping horses anymore. Of course they are slaughter supporters because slaughter gives them a convenient garbage can for their sport. Run today’s PSA through a google or YouTube search along with `horse tripping’ and you’ll have endless hours of disgust. Have you guessed who I’m talking about yet? Please welcome our Sunday PSA….